NSW measles alert after two new cases

A man and a baby have become the latest people in NSW infected with the measles bringing the total number of cases in the state since Christmas to 11.

The number of measles cases in NSW since Christmas has risen to 11 after a man and a baby became the latest people to be diagnosed with the infection.

The man, aged in his 50s, has no written record of having had a measles vaccination and has been hospitalised due to serious complications from the infection, NSW Health said on Friday.

He became ill with the highly-contagious infection before returning home to Sydney from the Philippines and was onboard Cebu Pacific Flight 5J41 which arrived at Sydney International Airport about 10.30am on January 20.

The man took a train from the airport to Epping arriving about 1pm on January 20, visited Cherrybrook Village Shopping Centre on January 21 and 22 and Hornsby Hospital emergency department on January 22 and 23.

NSW Health warned anyone who visited the same locations at the same times to be alert for measles symptoms until February 9.

The infected infant is from the Dareton region on the NSW-Victorian border and was too young to receive routine vaccinations, NSW Health said.

The baby visited Ritchies Supa IGA in Wentworth on the afternoon of January 19 while infectious.

The latest cases have prompted NSW Health to urge people travelling to Southeast Asia - which is experiencing an outbreak of measles - to ensure they are fully vaccinated before heading overseas.

"The measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine is safe and highly effective protection against measles," director Vicky Sheppeard said in a statement on Friday.

Measles is highly contagious and is spread in the air through coughing or sneezing.

Symptoms include fever, sore eyes and cough, followed by a red, blotchy rash.


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Published 25 January 2019 7:52pm
Source: AAP


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